The government has added to the woes of people relliing under inflation by approving a further increase in base tariffs of electricity. It will increase the price between Rs3 and Rs7.5 per unit or kilowatt hours for several consumers.

The cabinet approved the hike using a circulation summary after National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) allowed it to jack up electricity price on July 14.

As per the motion, the government proposed an increase of Rs3 per unit for the non-protected residential consumers using 1 to 100 units which will take the current per unit cost from Rs 13.48/unit to Rs 16.48/unit.

For the residential consumers using above 700 units, the government proposed a hike of Rs 7.5/unit from the existing Rs35.22/unit to Rs 42.72/unit. The new tariff will take effect from July 1 after the government issues a notification following a decision by the Nepra.

Nepra on July 14 allowed the federal government an increase of Rs 4.96/unit in base electricity tariff.

The move will enable the government to shift the burden of power subsidy for protected users to other consumers. People who regularly use less than 100 units per months are called protected consumers.